Helicopters are known substantially comprising a fuselage housing a cabin; and a main rotor projecting from the top of the fuselage.
The cabin is normally occupied by the crew and various material, and, in the case of a casualty transport helicopter, is also used for transporting stretchers.
More specifically, the fuselage comprises a nose located at the front in the normal flying direction of the helicopter; one or more cabin access openings on one or both sides of the helicopter; and a rear cabin loading opening for loading stretchers and/or other material into the cabin.
The helicopter also comprises a rear hatch movable between a first position engaging the rear opening, and a second position allowing free access to the rear opening to load/unload stretchers and/or other material.
Some known helicopters comprise a rear hatch hinged to one edge of the loading opening to move between the first and second position.
More specifically, the rear hatch of medium/small helicopters is hinged to a lateral edge of the loading opening, and swings sideways of the loading opening and outwards of the cabin between the first and second position.
The rear hatch of medium-size helicopters is hinged to a bottom edge of the loading opening, swings frontwards of the loading opening and outwards of the cabin between the first and second position, and, once in the second position, forms a loading ramp for stretchers and/or other material for loading.
Hinged hatches clutter up the loading area adjacent to the rear loading opening of the helicopter.
This therefore obstructs loading of stretchers or other material, especially if the main rotor of the helicopter is running.
A need is felt within the industry to keep the loading area in front of the rear loading opening as clear as possible, to allow troublefree loading of stretchers and/or other material, especially when the main rotor is running.